Regulating means for internal-combustion engines.



A. L. BIKER. REGULATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTJON ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED IuIIE Io. 1905.

hmmm@ Patented Apr. zo, 1915.

I I I IIIIIHIIIIIIIIII narrar ortica.

ANDREW L. BIKER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR. TO THE f LOCOMOBILE i COMPANY F AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N; Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

REGULATING MEANS FOB. INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. p

Patented Apr. 20, i915.

' Application led J' une 1.0, 1905. Serial No. 264,579.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that l, ANDREW L. BIKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Regulating Means for lnternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. l

My invention relates to regulating means 4 for internal combustion engines, being more particularly concerned with means for regulating and controlling the supply of gaseous mixture to the cylinders of the engine during the operation thereof.

My invention Will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one illustrative specificambodiment thereof, while its scope will be more -particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the draWings,-Figure l is a plan View of a fuel and air mixing and controlling device embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3*-3, in Fig. I, and, Fig..4 is a modified form of an admission valve.

lln the drawings l have shown one form of my invention as applied to a ca-rbureter, intended herein speciically for supplying an appropriate mixture of air and gaseous fuel to a multiple cylinder explosion engine, of an automobile the branched admission pipes for which are shown at A. The liquid gaseous fuel which is carried in a reservoir suitably located (not herein shown) lirst enters the separator b through the passage b', which is connected to the fuel reservoir by an appropriate conduit (not shown) and, passing through the openings b2 in the inner tubular sleeve b3, it rises through the valve-controlled passage b4 into the float chamber a. A cock b permits any separated water to be drawn 0H from the bottom of the separator chamber.

A` ball valve a controlling the passage b4, is secured to the lower end of a valve stem a2 which rises through the Hoat chamber and has threaded upon its upper end a stop guide a3 which guides the valve in its vertical movements. Loosely surrounding the valve stem a2 is the float a4 which rises with the fuel in the said chamber and lwhen the fuel )reaches the proper level therein, said float contacting with the bottom of the stop guide a3 will lift the valve stem and its valve to close the valve opening .71* and cut off further admission of fuel; the level of fuel in the Hoat chamber thus maintained by the float may b e regulated at will by the threaded adjustment of the guide on the valve stem, since the position of the said stop guide on the said valve stem determines the level at which the float will lift the valve to cut olf further admission of the fuel.

rlhe protruding end of the valve stem a2 is shown inclosed in an inverted cup a5 perforated at its top to receive the vertical sliding starting device a6 normally retained in its elevated position by the spring a7. By depressing this starting device the valve stem may be manually depressed to open the valve and admit additional fuel to the float chamber for starting the engine, as will hereinafter be referred to. In order to permit the ready manipulation of the starting device, ll have shown the same controlled by the arm 0 of a bell crank lever, the other arm of which c', is connected to t/he push rod c2. The engine with its attached carbureter will ordinarily be mounted in front of the 4dash board of an automobile, which l have here .indicated at al in Fig. 2 and said push rod c2 therefore protrudes through the dash board and presents at the opposite side thereof an end c3 conveniently shaped for manipulation by the operator. A spring cl normally holds the lever c out of-pressing contact with the starting device a". At or near the bottom of the float chamber a is an outlet pas sage a8 which communicates with an annular' chamber e surrounding the atomizing nozzle e screwed into the bottom of the atomizing chamber E. This atomizing nozzle e" has a vertical axial passage e2, with which the outlet passage as communicates through one or morev side openings e3.

The atomizing nozzle e is provided with an exteriorly tapered end which extends into an enveloping deflecting capl f in the shapeg l '1,1se5ses vof a truncated cone, the said cap being secured to and depending from the inner walls of the atomizing chamber E. The atomizing chamber is provided near its lower end with an air inlet g through which a supply of air enters through the laterally arranged conduit 'g' and in practice I preferably connect the conduit with an air admission pipe which is artificially heated by the engine exhaust thereby to heat the exterior air admitted to the atomizer. These connections it is unnecessary to show.

Above the atomizing chamber and having communication therewith through the opening e4 is located the cylindrically shaped mixing chamber H. The latter also has communication with the branched admission pipes A through suitable ports h these being formed in a sleeve or bushing It fitted in the mixing'chamber H. The opposite side of the bushing is also cut away at e* to form an admission port from the atomzing chamber and admission to and exit from the mixing chamber through the Said ports e4 and It is controlled by an appropriately formed piston valve la? slidable Within the said bushing It sliding movement being given thereto through the valve actuating rod k3. Any suitablemeans may be employed for moving the valve but I prefer to connect the actuating rod ha to an engine driven speed governor (not shown) whereby the valve 'is' f moved as the engine speed changes and the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine va ried automatically and in response to the changing requirements for the same. The opposite end h4, of the actuating rod is extended through the opposite end of the mixing chamber where it may -be carried through the dash board of the vehicle and connected to a suitable operating lever whereby the operator may exercise manual control over the mixture throttling valve to supersede the governor control thereof at any desired time and particularly on starting the engine.

During the operation of the engine the movements of the pistons therein in a manvner well understoodby those conversant with the operation of internal combustion engines will -crcate a sufficient vacuum to draw air inward through the air inlet g, thence upward within the defiecting cap f through the outlet e4 and into 'the mixing chamber H and into the branched admission pipes A, drawing from the nozzle e the liquid fuel which is maintained therein at a level with that of the fuel in the oat chamber a which level preferably is slightly below the top of the atomizer nozzle.

The depending cone-shaped cap f concentrates the draft of air about the nozzle and intensifies the atomizing action so that the air which leaves the atomizing chamber is thoroughly saturated and mixed with the vaporized fuel.

As the atomizer draws the fuel from the iioat chamber a, the oat reeedes Awith the level of the fuel therein and opens the valve a to admit a further supply of fuel, the action beingsuch that in practice the float maintains the valve normally 'open sufii` ciently to insure a substantially continuous admission of fuel both to the float chamber and also to the atomizing chamber E.

To start the engine when there is no vacuum therein to draw the air and fuel from the atomizing chamber, the push rod c2' is pressed inward causing the depression of the starting device a, thereby depressing the valve stem a? and openin the valve a to permit the fuel gravitatlng from the higher level in the reservoir to rise in the float chamber a sufficiently to overflow the top of the atomizer nozzle e in the atomizing chamber E. Movement of the engine pistons which may be produced by the hand rotation of the engine crankshaft can then be made to draw air through the inlet opening g, thereby causing the same to take up the overflow fuel and furnish a suiiicient supply of gaseous mixture to set the engine in motion and throwing into action the sparking devices.

The mixture of air and vapor as it comes from the atomizing chamber 1s richer in fuel than is required and hasto be diluted with a further mixture of air. To accomplish this, I have providedmeans for admitting air in proper quantityto the mixing chamber H, where it is permitted to mingle with the carbureted air from the atomizing chamber, the diluted mixture passing to the engine cylinders; I have herein so constructed this auxiliary air admission supply that it takes place automatically being proportioned to the requirements and running conditions of the engine. For this purpose I have provided an air admission chamber k in the casing K the latter secured to the top of the casting in which is formed the mixing chamber H, there being free communication between said air mixing chamber and the auxiliary air admission chamber k.

The casing K is provided with an upright cylindrical cap portion la having for admission of the exterior air a plurality of triangular admission openings lc2 controlled by a vertically sliding piston valve 7c3, so that the continued depression of the said valve will uncover a rapidly increasing` admission larea.

The piston valve k3 is secured to a sleeve la slidable on the stationary vertical tube 165 and normally pressed. upward by the spring c against an abutment lc formed by;

the Walls of the cylindrical portionv lc. 'Y Sei cured to the sleeve k1* and freely' `movable Il ,136,8@ d.

with the piston )t3 within the chamber 7c is the plate or disk la?, the outside diameter of which is somewhat less than the inside diameter of the chamber c and which .actif in the manner hereinafter described to regulate the admission of the auxiliary supply.

During the operation of the engine the valve 12,2 will be moved by the actuating rod h3 and the speed governor to a position determined by the speed of the engine, which position by appropriate design and adjustment may be made to furnish from the atomizing chamber the precise quantity of carbureted air desired and needful for that particular engine speed. The position of the valve will determine the actual or aggregate amount of fuel and therefore the richness of mixture furnished the engine under the particular conditions which hold at any particular time.

The amount of dilution of the carbureted air before it passes to the engine cylinders depends on the amount of air supplied through the auxiliary air supply to the mixing chamber. rlhe amount of auxiliary air needed will of course be greater as the engine speed increases and the cylinders required to be filled and emptied a greater number of times. rllhe actual dilution of the 'mixture is also required to be greater and suction' acting within the auxiliary airchamber upon the lower side of the plate la7 will tend to vary the position of the latter according to the speed of the engine and cause thereby the depression or elevation of the` piston valve la? andthe increase or diminution inv the supply of air through vthe ports k2. @n increase in speed the valve will continue to moveedownward to give increased air supply until a condition of balanced pressure is reached between the opposite sides of the plate or disk k7, and this condition is allowed when the auxiliary air supplysatisfies the requirements of the engine and not until then. If a lesser auxiliary air supply is required, as by a drop 1n engine speed, the consequent reduction in the suction of the engine acting upon the plate k7 will move the valve lcs automatically lto close the ports 1:2 until the exact condition of air supply required is attained. The auxiliary air valve thus acts automatically to maintain the auxiliary air supply at the required amount, this being accomplished independently of the. action of the throttling valve 71,2, which may therefore be adjusted to give any and the exact desired quantity of fuel suited for each and every speed.

The auxiliary air supply in entering the ports 102 passes downward through suitable openings in the bottom of the piston valve /c3 in the direction of the arrows and about the edges of the controlling plate la7, thence downward through openings inthe grid lcs which supports the valve `spring 164, thence into the mixing chamber Vll-I, where it intermingles with the carbureted air.

ln Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of inlet valve which may be used, if desired, in place of the inlet valve described. This comprises the inlet casing L, which may be screwed into the mixing chamber H, the top of the casing having a cap Z, threaded there in. rl[he cap has a central opening which may be closed by the plate valve Zengaging a seat formed on the lower side of the cap. The valve is provided with a stem Z2, slidable in a bearing Z3, which is carried by a spider formed upon the cap. The valve is normally held to its seat by the spring Z4, acting against the washer Z5, which is adjustably secured to the valve spindle. On a decrease of pressure within the casing L, the valve Z tends to open and admit the necessary supply of air, maintaining such supply so long as is requisite.

While I have here shown and described with particularity one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is submitted for illustrative purposes only, the invention being susceptible of many changes, modifications and other applications unnecessary hereto mention.

Clailm 1. An air supplying device for the carbureter of an internal comb-ustion engine, comprising auxiliary air-supplying means having an auxiliary air-supplying chamber having one. or more air inlet openings, a valve controlling the admission. of air through said openings, said valve being shaped to present an increasingarea to the admission of air in the direction of opening movement of the valve, means normally pressing said valve toward a closed position and a plate connected with said valve to move the same against the action of the valve-closing means, said plate partially obstructing the passage ofl the admitted a1r through the said chamber and being exposed ing chamber anda common valve independent of said additional air admitting means controlling the entrance and discharge from said vmixing chamber.

3. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines comprising means for supplying dcarbureted air, a mixing chamber in communication with said means, a suction controlled valve to admlt additional air to said mixing chamber and a piston valve controlling the entrance to and discharge from said mixing chamber.

4. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines comprising means for supplying carbureted air, a mixing vchamber in communication therewith, a

iliary airvsupplying means connected with said chamber and havin .air admission openings, a valve norma y closing said openings, said openings being of gradually increasing area in the direction of opening movement of the valve, the latter having an attached disk interposed between said openings and said mixing chamber and about which the additional air supply passes tosaidmixing chamber, said disk being exposed upon its inner face to the suction created by the engine.

6. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines comprising a mixing chamber, an engine driven governorcontrolled valve for controlling the admission of carbureted air tosaid mixing chamber, an auxiliary source of air su ply to said mixing chamber independent o said valve and comprising an auxiliary air chamber having valve controlled air inlet openings, said .openings being shaped to present for a given valve movement an increasing area to the'dmission of air in the direction of opening movement of the valve, saidkvalve being exposed to the suction created by the engine and operated thereby.

7. An air and fuel ,mixing device for internal combustion engines comprising a mixing chamber, a throttle valve in said chamber, a controlling member secured to said valveand passing through one end of4 said chamber, a second controlling member operatively related to said valve and passing through the opposite end of said chamber,v

`means for supplying carbureted air to said chamber, and means dependent on the engine suction also for automatically furnishing an additional air supply to said chamber.

\ lindrical valve serving -8. An air and fuel device for inV v opening controlled by said throttle valve at the same end of said chamber, and an automatic air admission valve at the opposite end of said chamber.

9. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines com rising a r`mixing chamber, means for supp ying carbureted air to said chamber at one end thereof, an exit opening for said chamber adjacent the same end and alined with the entrance opening, a throttle valve controlling said exit opening, and an automatic air valve at the o posite end of said chamber.

10. The combination with means for supplying carbureted air of a mixing chamber, an auxiliary air supplying means connected with said chamber the said means compris# ing an auxiliary air chamber having one or more air inlet o enings, a valve controlling the admission o air through said openings, said valve being shaped to present an increasing area to the admission of air in the direction of opening movement of the valve, and-a valve controlling wall connected to the valve and exposed to the fluid pressure both within and outside of said mixing chamber.

11. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines comprising means for supplying carbureted air, a mixing chamber in communication with said means, a valve for controlling the entrance of carbureted air to said mixing chamber, and an automatic air valve for providing asupplemental supply of air to said mixing chamber.

12. An air and fuel mixing device for internalcombustion engines comprisin means for supplying carbureted air, a hol ow cyas a mixing chamber and having perforate walls to resent controlled ports for the admission o carbureted air from said means and the discharge of the mixture from said mixing chamber, and an automatic air valve controlling a supplemental su ply of air having1 access to the interior o sald valve throng the open end thereof.

13. An air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines comprisin means for supplying carbureted air, a hol ow cylindrical valve servin as a mixing chamber and having perforate Walls to present controlled ports for the admission of carbureted air from said means and the discharge of the mixture from said mixing chamber, an automatic air valve controlling a supplemental supply of air having access to the interior of said valve through the open end 5 thereof, and means for controlling both manually and automatically said cylindrical valve.

ln testimony whereof, ll have signed my naine t0 this specication, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

.ANDREW lL. BIKER. Witnesses:

WM. S. TEEL, Jr., RENA M. YOUNG. 

